Kiah johnston



AUNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEroE. p

HEZEKIAH JOHNSTON AND WM. J. MATTHEWS, OF COLLINSVILLE, ILLINOIS,ASSIGNORS TO THEMSELVES AND JONATHAN BERKEY, OF SAME PLACE, ASSIGNORS TOHEZE- KIAH JOHNSTON.

FIRE-ESCAPE LADDER.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 24,909, dated July 26, 18591.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HEZEKIAH Jol-1N- sToN and WILLIAM J. MATTHEWS, ofCollinsville, in Madison county and State of Illinois, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Fire-Escape Ladders; and we do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same, reference being had to the annexed drawing, making part ofthis specification, in which- Figure l is a top view and F ig. 2 avertical section through A A.

Our invention consists in combining anl endless apron, belt or chain,with a set of folding ladders, when the said ladders are constructed andoperated substantially as herein after set forth, and also in combiningwith the said ladders a movable platform, arranged and operated ashereinafter described.

To enable others skilled in the arts to make and use our invention, wewill proceed to descfribe the construction and operation, thereo Similarletters of reference represent corresponding parts of the differentfigures, of the accompanying drawing.

A A is the main frame, which is mounted upon the axle I, the said axlebeing supported by the wheels B B, upon which the machine istransported, or conveyed from place to place. Upon this frame andwheels, (which is in the nature of a truck) the folding ladder is fixed.The said ladder consists of a series of ladders which fold or slide intoeach other. Thus C is the first or base ladder, which is iixed to theframe A, at an angle as shown, or it may form a continuation of thatframe, and be upon the same plain with it. The inside of this firstladder is grooved out, so as to receive the ladder D, which slides upand down into it. And the inside of the ladder D is grooved out toreceive the ladder E which bears the same relation to D that D does toC. These ladders are unfolded by means of ropes S S, and R R. The ropesS S, pass over a loose pulley in the top of each ladder, as shown at del, and c c. The ladder C being wider than the ladder D, the rope R ismade to pass through the guides f f to keep it clear of the rope s.These ropes, after having performed the functions aforesaid are securedaround the pins o c fixed in each side of the ladder C C.

M is a. platform secured to the upper end of the ladder E, by means of aworking joint, whereby it may be thrown up on a line with the ladder orbe made to set on a. line with the horizon, as shown on the drawing. Therope g is secured to this platform as shown at M; this rope passesthrough the guides N N, and from thence around the drum O, by which itis hauled taut, so as to operate as a brace, to support the ladder andat the same time hold the platform in position.

G G are two rollers, the one of which is fixed to the lower end of theladder C and the other to the upper end of the ladder, E, and aroundthese rollers an endless belt is placed, which may be made of canvas,rope or chain as the case may require, and which is made to travel overthe said rollers, by the application of power to the crank H which hashold of the axis of the roller G.

V V are receptacles in the nature of bags xed upon the outside of theendless apron or belt. The obj ect of these receptacles, is to receive aperson from off of the platform M, and to convey the said person to theground which is done by lowering, away upon the crank H. The rollers CrG should be made with projections on their surfaces so as to lay hold ofthe belt to prevent it from slipping. l

J J J are steps whereby a person may descend from the belt to the frameA, from whence it is but a short distance to the ground.

L L are braces fixed to the back end of the main frame, to keep it fromreceding, after the ladder has been placed in position against a wall.These braces may be folded up against the back end of the frame, asshown at L, there being a. hook fixed in the frame to receive them. c

K K, are levers fixed to the main frame for the purpose of depressingthe back end of it, and thereby raising the ladders, against the side ofa wall.

N N are small wheels fixed to the upper end of the ladder to facilitateits advance up the side of a wall, and H is the tongue to which thepower is applied for the purpose of transporting the machine.

a a a Fig. 1 are braces to brace the sides of the ladder and to them isfixed, pieces of thin metal, (not shown on the drawing) to support theupper side of the belt'J E.

Let the ladder be in the position shown upon the drawing and lei'J theplatform be in the upper Window of a building. A person coming upon theplatform may lay hold of the brace u and from thence step into thereceptacle o and from thence be lowered to the ground.

Having thus described the construction Patent, is-

and operation of our invention, what We claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters l 15 The combination of the endless belt'l E,

with the folding ladders, and the platform Mgin the manner described.

H. JOHNSTON. WM. J. MATTHEWS.

Witnesses AMos BROADNAX, MICHL. OKIEFFE.

